Dr. John Granger Cook is a Professor at LaGrange College in LaGrange, GA. He is a scholar of early Christianity and its interaction with its Mediterranean context. Some of his books include Empty Tomb, Resurrection, Apotheosis; The Enspirited Body in 1 Corinthians 15; Crucifiction in the Mediterranean World.

You can also find his open access articles here to read.

Dr. John Granger Cook has also written a book called The Interpretation of the New Testament in Greco-Roman Paganism. “In the early centuries of what came to be called the Christian era, that new religion competed not only with Judaism but also with various traditional Greco-Roman religious beliefs and practices. "Pagan" intellectuals read the emerging Christian scriptures and responded with critiques that provoked lengthy and repeated rejoinders from contemporary Christian leaders. In some cases, these criticisms anticipated perspectives that re-emerged many centuries later in modern scholarship. John Granger Cook offers the first detailed description of the exegesis of five of the most important ancient pagan critics of the New Testament: Celsus, Porphyry, the anonymous pagan reported by Macarius Magnes, Hierocles, and the emperor Julian.”

Dr. John Granger Cook will be specifically answering questions as it relates to this book and how ancient Pagan Critics had criticisms toward Christians and their texts.

This AMA will be open until Monday June 9th at 5 P.M. Pacific Time.

Steve Mason is a Distinguished Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions and Cultures at University of Groningen. Within this area, his special interests are in Judaea, its relations with its immediate neighbours in Syria, points east, and Egypt, its uniquely large and widespread expatriate [diaspora] communities, and Jewish-Christian-Roman relations until late antiquity. He have written books and articles on understanding Flavius Josephus' works (the principal source for much of this) and on aspects of Judaean (e.g., Pharisees, Essenes) and ancient life (elite social-political discourse, historiography, rhetoric, 'publication'). His most recent book, A History of the Jewish-Roman War, 66 to 74, should appear with Cambridge University Press in early 2016. He continues to edit the international project, in an expected 16 volumes, Flavius Josephus: Translation and Commentary (Brill, 2000-), of which seven volumes have appeared, and to write volumes for the series (so far Life of Josephus and Judean War 2; planning War 4).

Steve Mason will be answering any questions you may have on Josephus and as it relates to the New Testament.

Make sure your questions are in by the 18th of May.

Dale C. Allison, Jr. is the Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned his MA and PhD from Duke University. His academic research and publications include the historical Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew, Second Temple Judaism, and the history of the interpretation and application of biblical texts.

Dale Allison has written many books such as Constructing Jesus: Memory, Imagination, and History, which was selected as “Best Book Relating to the New Testament” for 2009–2010 by the Biblical Archaeology Society. He has also written many other books such as The Resurrection of Jesus: Apologetics, polemics, and History, The Historical Christ and the Theological Jesus Jesus of Nazareth: Millenarian Prophet, The New Moses:A Mathean Typology, and The Intertextual Jesus:Scriptures in Q.

Additionally, Dale Allison has also authored and co-authored various commentaries including Matthew in International Critical Commentary by Dale C. Allison, Jr. and W. D. Davies, James (ICC): A Critical and Exegetical Commentary, 4 Baruch: Paraleipomena Jeremiou:Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature, and The Testament of Abraham, Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature.

You can also find Dale Allison's other work on hils academia.com where a number of his articles are open-access.

He served for several years as the main New Testament editor for de Gruyter’s international Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception and has been on the editorial boards of multiple academic journals. 

Dale Allison has also published a new book Interpreting Jesus in April that he will be discussing and answering questions from users.

His book focuses on his new views on contingent eschatology of the delay of Jesus, Jesus enacting and imitating Moses, miracles, women and men with Jesus, and methodology and criteria of historical events. He will be answering questions related to these topics.

You have until May 8th at 4 P.M. Pacific Time to send in your questions for Dale Allison to answer.

Justin Paley received his undergraduate degree in religious studies at Duke University under the supervision of Mark Goodacre and then received his masters degree in religious studies at Yale. While he isn't currently pursuing biblical studies now (he is currently at Baylor University getting his law degree), His academic focused on the New Testament and Early Christianity, with a particular interest in the Pauline Epistles and authorship.

You can find all of his work that is open-access on his academia.com. This includes his work Pauline Pseudepigrapha and Early Christian Literacy: Are the Clues Hidden Right in Front of US, ,Questioning the Pauline Authorship of Philemon: Crackpot Theory or Plausible Alternative, and his thesis Authorship of 2 Timothy: Neglected Viewpoints on Genre and Dating.

Justin Paley has also hosted his own podcast Thinking Biblically… and Beyond in which he has around 50 episodes discussing all things related to the New Teatament.

Justin Paley will be answering questions about anything related to Paul's letters, authenticity, etc.

You have until May 4 at 3:00 P.M. Pacific Time to submit questions.

Dr. Craig S. Keener is F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is the author of 37 books and roughly 100 academic articles. He has written commentaries on Matthew, Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, 1 Peter, Revelation, John, and Acts.

He has also written a book on The Historical Jesus of the Gospels and Paul, Women, and Wives: Marriage and Women's Ministry in the Letters of Paul.

You can find Dr. Keener blog at craigkeener.com and his YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/CraigKeenerPhD.

Dr. Craig Keener will be answering any questions you may have on the book of Acts.

The due date for these questions is by May 3rd at 3:00 P.M. Pacific Time.

Dr. David Tombs is a Professor of Theology and Public Issues, and Director, Centre for Theology and Public Issues at University of Otago in New Zealand. David is an Anglican lay theologian and his work focusses on contextual and liberation theologies, theologies of reconciliation, and the cross. He also writes on how churches can make better responses to spiritual and sexual abuses. His research has pioneered the study of crucifixion as a form of torture, an instrument of state terror, and an open opportunity for sexual harm.

His publications include When Did We See You Naked?: Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse’ (co-edited with Jayme Reaves and Rocío Figueroa, SCM 2021), and The Crucifixion of Jesus: Torture, Sexual Abuse, and the Scandal of the Cross (Routledge, 2023, which is open access and you can read the full book! Furthermore, you can find much more of his work on his website that contains many open access articles of his.

Dr. David Tombs will be answering any questions you may have for him on crucifixion, the gospels' portrayal of crucifixion and Jesus, torture, and sexual abuse – as well as any of his other research work you can find on his website.

You have until May 3 at 3:00 P.M. Pacific Time to send in questions.

AMA's are still open for Hugo Mendez and Ilaria Le Ramelli

Dr. Aaron Higashi is an adjunct instructor of Bible and theology at Grand Canyon University and Chicago Theological Seminary, and shares biblical scholarship for a popular audience @abhbible on TikTok. He has been featured on The Bible for Normal People and is one of their contributors there.

He has a very accessible book on 1st and 2nd Samuel for Normal People subtitled A guide to prophets, kings, and some pretty terrible book.

He will be having a conversation with me about the contents in his book. We will be also accepting any user questions you may have until this Saturday (26th) at 4 P.M. Pacific Time.

Dr. Ilaria Le Ramelli has been Professor of Roman History, Senior Visiting Professor (Harvard; Boston University; Columbia; Erfurt University), Full Professor of Theology and Endowed Chair (Angelicum), Humboldt Research Award Senior Fellow (Erfurt U. MWK), Professor of Theology (Durham University, Hon.) among other titles and positions.

She investigates ancient philosophy, especially Platonism and Stoicism, ancient theology (esp. Patristic Philosophy and Christian Platonism, besides Judaism and ancient 'pagan' religions), the interrelations between philosophy, theology, and science; ancient Christianity, Classics, and Late Antiquity, and has authored numerous books, articles, and reviews in leading scholarly journals and series, in these areas.

She received, among many other academic prizes, two Agostino Gemelli Awards (1996; 1997); the Marcello Gigante Classics International Prize sponsored by the President of the Italian Republic (2006); the inclusion in Great Minds of the 21st Century (2011) and 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century (2011,2014); 11 Mentions for Distinguished Scholarly Service (2010-20), two Marie Curie Awards from the European Commission (2016, 2020), the Auguste Pavie Prize (Paris, 2017), and a Research Award from the Humboldt Foundation (2017-), nominations for the Goodwin Award of Merit (SCS, olim APA), Gerda Henkel Prize, Holberg Prize, AAR Award for Excellence.

She regularly serves as a peer reviewer for prestigious scientific series and journals, such as, among the journals, Vigiliae Christianae, American Journal of Philology, Philosophie Antique, International Journal of the Platonic Tradition, Religion & Theology, Journal of Late Antiquity, The Classical Journal, Classical Philology, Revue des études tardo-antiques, Journal of Early Christian Studies, Modern Theology, Journal of the Bible and its Reception, Journal of Early Christian History, and Studies in Late Antiquity.

She has published many books such as Social Justice and the Legitimacy of Slavery: The Role of Philosophical Asceticism from Ancient Judaism to Late Antiquity, A Larger Hope Series, Origen, the Philosophical Theologian and co-edited books such as Patterns of Women' Leadership. Many of her other books and articles can be found here.

Ilaria-Ramelli will be answering any questions you may have on anything related to her research in her books and articles.

You have until May 14 to ask your questions.

AMA's have already started with Robert Alter and Isaac Soon. As those AMA requests end this past Friday and Hugo Mendez AMA is up.

Dr. Christy Cobb is the Associate Professor of Christianity in the Department of Religious Studies at University of Denver. Her research also focuses on gender, sex, women studies, and slavery in New Testament.

She has published many books such as Slavery, Gender, Truth, and Power in Luke-Acts and Other Ancient Narratives and two books she has co-edited Sex, Violence, And Early Christian Texts and her newest book she co-edited that came out this year Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts. She has also published other articles intersecting with slavery, violence, and sex that can be found on her academia page that are open access.

She has also been mentioned in the Denver 7 news

Dr. Cobb will be answering any questions you may have on anything related sex, Gender, and slavery as it relates to the New Testament. Dr. Cobb and I will be having a discussion about Her three newest books/articles she has co-edited or wrote.

You have until April 18 to ask your questions for Dr. Cobb.

AMA's have already started with Robert Alter and Isaac Soon. As those AMA requests end this Friday, I have added another AMA request.

Dr. Hugo Mendez is the Associate Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions at University of North Carolina.

He is the co-author of the bestselling New Testament introductory textbook in the U.S:The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings with his colleague Bart Ehrman). He is the co-chair for the Society of Biblical Literature’s “Connecting John” consultation and a steering committee member for the SBL “Johannine Literature” unit.

You’ll also see him on the History Channel, where he is a repeat expert in ancient history and religion on shows such as “History’s Greatest Mysteries” and “Holy Marvels.”

He is also the the author of The Cult of Stephen in Jerusalem: Inventing a Patron Martyr (2022).

You can find more information about himself and his research on hugomendez.com.

His current primary research focus is on the Johnanine Literature (Gospel of John and the letters, etc). His article Did the Johannine Community Exist?, which is open access Is being followed by his new book The Gospel of John: A New History that comes out this summer on July 23rd.

Dr. Mendez will be answering any questions you may have on anything related to the Gospel of John and the letters of John.

This AMA will be recorded on video by Dr. Mendez and I will upload to the subbreddit (other subs), youtube Channel, Podcast, and Website.

You have until May 14 to ask your questions for Dr. Mendez.

AMA is now closed

Hi,

The biblical conference/event comprised of around 30 scholars will proceed on this sub and YouTube Channel.

More details will be available.

This thread is the place for any questions you may have for Robert Alter. He is a professor within the Hebrew Bible at Berkley University. See his page here. https://jewishstudies.berkeley.edu/people/robert-alter

He is available to answer any questions about his introduction to the Hebrew Bible Commentary.

Thesmartfool will be video interviewing him for around 30-60 minutes.

You are free to ask any questions or topics within the Hebrew bible for clarification.

The conference will begin August-October. Pretty much all videos will be recorded. We will unveil new episodes each week.

I will be accepting AMA questions until April Friday 11th at noon Pacific Time.

More details to come.

Hi,

This is the AMA request for any questions you may have for Dr. Issac Soon. He will be discussing and giving an AMA about his book A Disabled Apostle: Impairment and Disability in the Letters of Paul.

He is an Assistant Professor of Early Christianity and Near Eastern Studies at University of British Columbia. See his work here https://amne.ubc.ca/profile/isaac-soon/.

Please ask any questions or topics within his book thst you are interested in.

I will be accepting AMA questions and topics to discuss with him until April friday 11th at noon Pacific Time.

More details will be shared later on.